Yours Truly
by Evangeline The Great
Summary: She didn't want to admit that she was falling for a servant, she would've been shunned for the rest of her life. But she knew that when she looked into his deep brown eyes, she knew he was the one. Surely her father would never approve, especially since she was to be married off to someone else. Western AU
1. Chapter 1

Amidst her sleep, Pacifica Northwest heard the familiar clicking of dress shoes on her wooden floor. She opened one eye and glanced at the clock that sat on her nightstand. The hands read 8:30. The blonde closed her eyes, it wasn't time for her to get up yet. The person who had sauntered into her room clearly had no respect for her sleeping schedule because Pacifica heard a flutter of fabric as her curtains were ripped open, letting the sunlight bathe the room. Pacifica squeezed her eyes shut and pulled her comforter over her head.

"Pacifica Elise Northwest!" her father's voice snapped her out of her slumber. The girl immediately sat up in bed, her father's angry scowl greeting her.

She gulped before she opened her mouth to speak. "Yes, father?" She straightened her posture while addressing him. Her skin prickled with anxiety. It was rare that her father woke her up and when he did, he usually had something to say to her.

He crossed his arms, the grey fabric of his suit stretching to his stance. He furrowed his eyebrows and spoke. "I am _very_ disappointed in you, young lady." The way he addressed her made Pacifica cringe. She was almost 18 yet he managed to make her feel like nothing more than a toddler whenever he said "young lady."

Pacifica shrugged off her nervousness, hoping that whatever she did wasn't catastrophic. She pressed her lips and tried to recall what she'd done in the past several days.

He let out a strained breath. "You _do not_ have the authority to fire servants any time you want. This is the sixth time this month that you've done it." Pacifica was suddenly reminded of her outburst yesterday at her maid and butler. She bristled at the memory, she hated picturing herself as someone who was furious. But she had asked for hot tea. Her patience was too thin by the time her servants came back with her tea and it was warm. Mint tea was no good warm or cold, it was only ever good scalding hot. How hard could it be to make a cup of hot tea? She remembered yelling at them then relieving them of their work. The last thing she wanted to do was give the Northwest's a bad reputation for having bad servants.

Pacifica's blue eyes wandered around the room, searching for the right response. "I don't see what the problem is father. Us Northwest's must maintain a good reputation. Having terrible servants would only hinder that."

Her father released another breath, as if he was trying his best not to yell. "Our reputation won't be tarnished by our lack of decent servant's, it'll be tarnished by your outright selfish behavior. You are the heir to the Northwest fortune, I expect you to act like it. No wonder no one in town wants to work for me, your actions are driving them away." He rubbed his temples. "I'll be lucky if I find someone who _hasn't_ heard of Pacifica Northwest's ruthless behavior towards help." He spoke as if she wasn't in the room. "Listen to me, young lady, when I hire new servants, I do not want to hear that they've been fired. So help me you'll be doing everything yourself if it happens again."

Pacifica slightly shuddered at his warning, the idea of having to do everything on her own made her cringe. "Of course, father." She said, her voice calm and collect. Though she had grown used to her father's outbursts over the years, he had never been so cruel as to revoke her servants. She just thought she was doing what he expected, upholding the family name.

"Thank you," he said letting out a sigh of relief. "Oh, and don't forget you have a piano lesson today at noon." He added then exited his daughter's room, shutting the large oak doors behind him.

Pacifica waited a minute before she heaved herself out of her bed and padded over to her closet. Her delicate fingers thumbed through her plethora of dresses until she found a rose colored short sleeved tea-length gown. She placed the garment on her bed, her corset beside it and her shoes on the floor. She turned away from the clothing on the bed and walked into her bathroom where a hot bath had already been drawn for her. Pacifica smiled as she inhaled the smell of lavender oil and rosehips. She wouldn't even consider getting dressed without taking a bath first.

The young girl had rolled back her shoulders before she started walking down the hall. Her father taught her at a very young age to walk with power. _Northwest's always walk with authority._ Pacifica laughed at the irony, she walked with authority yet she didn't have any. The clicks of her heels echoed off the manor walls as she headed toward the music room.

Pacifica's worries, thoughts and entire demeanor melted away as she walked to the music room. Music was her one escape. Every Tuesday and Friday she didn't have to be the heir to the Northwest fortune, she could just be a girl who played the piano. Every other moment as Pacifica Northwest made her question what it meant to be a Northwest. She was rich but she wasn't supposed to act spoiled. She would eventually have an entire cherry orchard to run but no one had shown her how. She never knew what her father wanted, spoiled princess or smart young lady. Playing the piano allowed her to stop thinking about everything, the only thing that was on her mind was what note she was going to play next.

Pacifica closed her eyes and let her fingers glide across the ivory keys of the grand piano that sat in the music room. Dozens of other instruments were mounted on the wall or sitting idle in their stands. She knew how to play most of them but she preferred the piano. Her instructor hummed along with the piece Pacifica was playing. The auburn haired girl tapped Pacifica on her shoulder, pulling her out of her trance.

"Play with a little slower tempo at these parts." The young woman pointed at the sheet music. Pacifica nodded in return and started the piece again. She had just reached the climax of the piece when the door to the room swung open. Her nimble fingers had ceased all movement, the notes that she just played reverberated through the room.

"Pacifica, I need to speak with you." Preston addressed his daughter.

Pacifica nodded in reply then turned to her instructor. "I'll see you Friday, Miss. Corduroy." The young woman returned Pacifica's smile before she left the room.

"Yes, father?" Pacifica turned to her father.

"I found two servants for you." He gestured for his daughter to follow him.

"Wonderful," Pacifica tried to sound enthused and not sarcastic as she followed her father down the hall.

"I'm taking you to meet them. You might as well become familiar with them seeing as how you won't be firing them any time soon." Pacifica could hear the frustration in her father's voice.

She trailed after her father, down the main corridor which was adorned with family antiques and portraits then to the hallway that led to her own room. Outside of the ornately carved oak French doors that led to her room were two seemingly identical people. They had the same oval-face shape and the same deep brown eyes, but one was a girl and the other a boy. They stood on either side of the doors, their shoulders back and their hands resting at their sides.

"This is Dipper and Mabel. They are your servants from now on." Her father released a relieved sigh when he saw that his daughter wasn't throwing a fit over his choice. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to return to some work in my study." He spoke then walked away, his steps echoing off the wooden walls of the Northwest Manor.

Pacifica turned to her two new servants.

"We're pleased to meet you, Miss Northwest." They both did a short bow as they spoke in unison. Pacifica was still enamored of how they looked so much alike.

"Is there anything we can assist you with at the moment, ma'am?" The girl spoke, her voice was sharp and her manners were impeccable.

"Not at the moment no," Pacifica began. "But at four in the afternoon, I like a cup of hot mint tea brought to my quarters." Mabel gave a short nod in acknowledgement, her long chestnut hair slightly swinging in front of her face as she did so.

Her blue eyes took in her new servants. She was impressed with their politeness. Most new servants were quiet until they were explained the rules. The girl had an air of enthusiasm about her, as if there was no where she'd rather be that outside Pacifica's bedroom door. She decided that being overzealous was a redeeming quality in a maid. The boy had a completely different aura. His proud stance would normally deceive anyone, but the lazy look in his brown eyes told her that he wanted to be anywhere but here. She could relate, sometimes she'd rather be anywhere than the Northwest Manor.

Pacifica remained motionless for another moment before she turned back around and headed back toward the main corridor to the music room. She wanted to put in a little more practice before it got too late. Pacifica was shocked that the two hadn't made the mistake of looking her in the eye. All the servants knew not to look any member of the family in the eye, though sometimes the new servants weren't told right away. But that didn't stop him from staring at her when she wasn't looking. She felt his dark brown eyes burning a hole through her skin with his stare. She felt it linger the entire time she walked down the hall. There was the temptation to catch him but the temptation to play the piano was stronger. She was sure this wouldn't be the only time he would do it.

She made a mental note to keep an eye on him.

 **New story time! I'm not really sure where this idea came from but I combed through the Dipifica AU archive and a story like this wasn't in it so I've decided to write it.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Edit: Just added a little bit more meat to this one in hopes of expressing some character traits. Also, I'm severely upset that Gravity Falls is over. If you haven't read Alex Hirsch's announcement on tumblr, read it. It brought a tear to my eye.**


	2. Chapter 2

The moment Pacifica Northwest turned away from him and walked down the hall, Dipper averted his gaze from the wooden paneled hallway to the girl that was walking away. He was told not to look at the Northwest's. Preston Northwest had told him and his sister not to look at or make eye contact with him or his wife or his daughter. Dipper and Mabel had both been desperate for work, they weren't going to let a broken rule risk them of losing this job. But Dipper couldn't tear his eyes away from her.

They had only been in Gravity Falls for two short days before they'd heard of a job opening at the Northwest Manor. Mabel had been more eager than him. She was more than honored to work for the most famous people in the West. Though he couldn't have felt more against the decision. Dipper, while walking around town, had heard terrible news from the people who were fired from the Manor on a daily basis. He didn't want his sister or him to get hired but then only to lose the job the next day. But they needed the money, and they didn't have the time to wait around for a decent job to come their way.

So here he was, standing in front of the doorway to the bedroom of the heiress of the Northwest fortune. And walking away from him and his sister was the heiress herself. Dipper wanted to look away, he was disgusted with this way of living. Real pride should come from hard work and labor, not waltzing around in formal attire ordering people around.

But there was something in the way she moved that demanded his attention. The way her golden hair that cascaded down her back in waves bounced when she walked. The way she maintained her flawless posture anytime she moved. She was perfection on two feet. A sour taste filled Dipper's mouth. He shouldn't have been enamored of her, he should've stuck his nose up at the thought of Pacifica Northwest. But there was something in him that forced him to keep staring.

Pacifica was nearly at the end of the hall when Mabel hissed at him. He tore his gaze from the girl and looked at his sister. She pursed her lips, furrowed her eyebrows and gave a curt shake of the head. Dipper understood what she was saying. _Don't, it's not worth risking our job_. Getting caught staring at the heiress was not worth getting fired over, and even if his daughter couldn't fire them, he was sure Preston Northwest wouldn't hesitate. Dipper rolled his shoulders back and returned his gaze to the wall, the only thing to do until four o'clock was make friends with the paneling.

When the grandfather clock in the foyer struck three, Mabel left her position in front of the girl's door. Dipper only assumed Mabel was going to attend to the task that Pacifica had requested earlier that day. Dipper was hoping that it wouldn't take an hour to make a cup of tea and that Mabel would return quickly. But neither of them knew where the kitchen was or where the Northwest's kept their tea. He was glad he didn't tag along with his sister, he didn't want to imagine what kind of nightmare the kitchen would've been at this time of day.

It had been nearly half an hour and he gazed down the hall, waiting for the moment his sister would round the corner. Instead of Mabel's dark brown hair and maid uniform he saw blonde hair and a deep pink colored dress. Before Pacifica could notice that he was staring down the hall, he returned his stare to the wall again and waited for her to approach the room. When Pacifica approached the room, Dipper reached for the knob on one of the double doors, pulling it open. Dipper expected Pacifica to walk in her room and he wouldn't have to force his eyes to make eye-contact with the ceiling much longer. But instead the girl stood right outside her open bedroom door.

Dipper wasn't making eye-contact with her, but he could see plenty of her facial features. Her lips were pressed and her manicured eyebrows were drawn together. Her sapphire eyes were narrowed at Dipper. A cold sweat ran down his back. _Surely I couldn't have done something wrong_. He thought nervously, hoping that the girl wouldn't fire him on the spot for something he wasn't sure he did.

Pacifica straightened her posture and suddenly spoke, her clear voice cutting through the air, shattering the silence that had grown between them. "Is my tea here yet?"

Dipper cleared his throat and replied. "No, ma'am. Mabel will be bringing it to you momentarily."

"Good," she said snidely then turned and walked into her room. Dipper closed the door behind her. When he turned back to the hall, he saw that Mabel was walking toward him, silver platter in her hands.

Dipper opened up Pacifica's door to let Mabel in and stood outside as he waited for his sister. He was lost in thought. He hated his position; he shouldn't have been waiting on people hand and foot, he should be outside getting his hands dirty. But he was subject to look prim and proper and get ordered around all day. What he hated most was that he was enamored of Pacifica. More than anything, he loathed the people that bossed others around and considered themselves hardworking for doing so. But why was he in adoration of a girl whose very future was that? Ordering people around and being waited on was the only thing Pacifica would ever know. Dipper felt a pang of pity for her, she would never know what true pride felt like. Perhaps that was it. He wasn't in adoration of her, he just pitied her. Dipper let out a sigh of relief, he was glad he'd figured out his dilemma of the day.

Mabel exited the room, her posture was somewhat solemn. Dipper closed the door and Mabel began to speak in a hushed voice. "She likes toast with cherry preserves and scrambled eggs and a tea pot with Earl Grey tea for breakfast. She likes lavender oil and rose hips in her baths every morning. And her sheets are to be changed every two days as well as the room is to be dusted every afternoon." Mabel finished, her brown eyes low. Dipper was surprised that he hadn't heard Pacifica rambling off to his sister, but he was so deep in thought.

Dipper knew that the Northwest's were demanding and he should've expected a lot of work, but there was still a hint of disappointment between the two. His "adoration" for Pacifica Northwest tugged at his heartstrings. He kept telling himself that he was here for work and money and nothing else. And though he firmly thought he pitied the girl for not knowing the real world, he felt his heart slowly betraying him.

 **I think maybe the western genre was misinterpreted. I don't know what defines this as a western but because this story takes place during the 1830's and in the west, I just put it under the western genre. I will definitely include aspects of western culture and lifestyle but I don't know about gunslingers or outlaws (Sorry). I might include it as a backstory thing, but I've already got a plot laid out.**

 **Sorry this AN is so long, just had to clarify that. I'm really liking this story and I'll probably update every Thursday or Friday.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **-Eva**


	3. Chapter 3

Pacifica folded her hands and placed them in her lap. The leather chair she was sitting in was becoming more uncomfortable by the second. She adored having only the finest things in life but leather was something she could live without. Her bright blue eyes glanced at the clock that hung on the library wall. It read 2:30.

Every day in the Northwest Manor was just a day that dragged slower than the last. Her days were either spent playing the piano or reading books. She wasn't allowed into town without her family and her father was too busy running the cherry orchard. She was barely allowed outside except to sit in the garden or walk out to the stables.

She was the richest person in the North West, yet she had nothing to do. She wasn't even sure why she was in the library, she was sure her initial intention was to read a book but while walking to the library her mind started to wander. Now she was sitting in the most uncomfortable leather chair with no desire to read.

She suddenly remember what distracted and thought back to yesterday evening when she was instructing her maid of her daily routine. Every previous maid she'd had had shown some sort of anger when she listed the things she expected to be done. Whether it be a twitch of the eyebrow or the pursing of lips, they were never happy with her. Though it wasn't a maid's job to be happy with her, it was their job to do what she told them. But the new one was different.

There was no twitch of her eyebrow or no pursing of her lips. Not even a sarcastic tone when she spoke. Pacifica was impressed. These were the most impressive maids she'd had yet, perhaps she wouldn't need to fire them. Her tea did arrive _hot_ yesterday after all. And the other one, the boy. There was something about him she didn't like. It was the way she knew that he was glaring at her despite her back being turned to him. She didn't really have a right to dislike her butler, she'd barely had him for two days. She could fire him at the drop of a hat if she wanted.

She suddenly shivered, thinking of her father's warning. She was only doing what she thought was best for the Northwest reputation and didn't care what the process was for getting new help. Her father scolded her at the dinner table that night. She usually wouldn't have reacted to one of his lectures. But her father was livid. He didn't stop talking about how mad he was over the interruption of his schedule because he had to go into town and fix yet another one of the problems that she caused. He was callous and curt with his words, reprimanding her like she was nothing more than a servant herself.

Pacifica's lip had begun to quiver when she heard the wooden door of the library swing open. "Miss Pacifica," The boy had entered the room, his head low and his bangs hanging forward. She could've sworn she'd seen a peppering of freckles under his bangs.

"Yes?" she returned to her train of thought.

"Your father request's that you see him at once in his study." His brown eyes were making eye contact with the floor.

Pacifca acknowledged his news with the nod of her head, stood up and exited the library. Just as she was leaving the room, she could feel his stare burning a hole in her back. It was so tempting to catch him in the act but her father was not a patient man.

She strode down the hall toward the west wing of the building. She passed under the massive portrait of the "happy" Northwest family. She snuck a peak of the painting, a small smile creeping on her lips. Life was much simpler when she was a child. She shook of the memories. Reminiscing the past was not on her agenda, it was to speak with her father.

She pondered what he wanted to speak with her about, she recalled the activities she'd done in the past two days. She hadn't fired anymore maids, gone out of the house without an escort, or disobeyed any other of her father's rules. She gulped as she arrived at the doors of the study. She rapped on the door and waited. She'd heard a muffled "Come in," and entered the room.

The study was one of the unfamiliar parts of the Manor. Towering bookshelves lined the walls and two ornate chairs stood in front of the equally ornate desk in which her father sat behind. Pacifica hadn't noticed that there was another person in the room when she walked in.

A large man stood next to her father's desk. The word Pacifica would use to describe him was round. A round face with a neck that spilled out of his collared shirt. The rest of him was just as round, his stomach jutting out, causing the jacket of his suit to stretch. She maintained a small smile as she sat down.

"Good afternoon, Pacifica." Her father greeted, the smile on his face looked unusually strained.

"Good afternoon, father." She returned the greeting, hoping that he would get on with what he needed to talk about.

He cleared his throat and began to talk. "This is Bud Gleeful, he owns the apple orchards that are just to the east of Gravity Falls." He gestured to the round man and he smiled widely revealing a row of large crooked teeth.

"Nice to meet you," she said then let her father carry on.

"His son Gideon is the same age as you and-"

"And my dear Gideon would just _love_ to get to know you better. He's heard so much of the _wonderful_ Pacifica Northwest of Gravity Falls." Bud cut her father off. Pacifica stared at the man with a lost expression.

Her father cleared his throat again, gaining his daughter's attention. "What Bud Gleeful is trying to say is that Gideon is going to court you which will lead to an eventual marriage by the end of next month."

 **So there's chapter three. I'm hoping to convey the abuse toward Pacifica better, I hope I did a good job. As for the cherry and the apple orchards the Northwest's aren't just the richest people because they're descendants of the guy who founded the town but it's because they have the biggest cherry orchard in the west.**

 **Thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

As Dipper strode away from the library, he began to wonder why Preston wanted Pacifica. He assumed it had to do with the overly-jolly round man that was in his study but he quickly shook the thought off. Being a butler allowed him a lot of time to think and ponder over things, especially the goings on of the Northwest's. Dipper meandered the halls on his way back to the doors of Pacifica's room. It was much too boring to stand in an empty hall for all hours of the day. He'd only been a butler for two days, but he expected that there was more to being a butler than following the orders of a stuck up teenager.

His deep brown eyes grazed over the ornaments on the walls. There were portraits, some of the Northwest family, others of Preston and his wife and some of just Pacifica. His gaze settled on a painting that looked recent. Her blond hair was in a tight bun and her bangs were painted just above her eyes. Her eyes were blue with streaks of black and grey. Her mouth was neither a frown nor a smile; the edges of her lips were curved ever so slightly downward but her expression was one of power. Her jaw was set and her stare was fierce, even through a painting, Pacifica exuded power. Dipper managed to tear his eyes away from the portrait and kept walking. Among the family portraits, there were also stuffed deer and bear heads and several antique guns and swords.

Pacifica's door was just to the left at the end of the grand corridor. He assumed his position in front of the grand double doors, rolling his shoulders back and folding his hands neatly behind his back. Dipper released a deep sigh, it was roughly three o'clock and he wasn't done working until Pacifica got her tea at four. It was going to be a long afternoon.

Twenty minutes had passed when Dipper heard the familiar clicking of Pacifica's heels on the hard wood floors of the Northwest Manor. She came marching around the corner, her posture was slumped and her arms were wrapped around herself, like she was cold. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see that her blue eyes were not focused and her mouth was in a visible frown.

Although he didn't know what was on the girls mind, he still felt a pang of sorrow for her. He opened the door and before he could stop him, the words left his lips. "Is there something the matter, Miss Northwest?"

Pacifica was visibly taken aback. Dipper gulped, hoping the girl wouldn't scold him for speaking without being addressed. He blinked and suddenly found the girl staring at him. Dipper decided then that the artist that painted her portrait didn't do her _any_ justice. Her eyes were the deepest blue he could've imagined, with pinpricks of green and gold in the iris. Her cheeks were sprayed with the lightest bit of freckles, he imagined that no one could really see them if they weren't this close to her. She was still frowning and her eyebrows were furrowed. She released a breath and her expression relaxed. "There is nothing the matter with me and it isn't your business to know." She spoke, venom laced in her voice.

"My apologies, Miss. Mabel will be here within the hour with your tea."

She gave a curt nod in reply and continued into her room. Dipper let out a sigh when he closed the door. He scolded himself for speaking, he shouldn't have. He could've jeopardized both his and Mabel's job. Money was too tight for him to be speaking out of turn. He never even wanted to work for the Northwest's. He and his sister moved to Oregon to work with their great uncles. But Stanley had plenty of work and didn't need Mabel to manage his General store and their great uncle Stanford was fine on his own running his medicine shop. The idea of working for the Northwest's made his mouth taste like vinegar. He should've been doing something with his hands, not dusting and taking orders. He'd quit if he were able, but both he and Mabel needed the money and he would never abandon his sister.

Mabel rounded the corner, a silver tray with a piping hot cup of tea and a plate of scones. Dipper opened the door for his sister, hoping that she would be done soon, he wanted to lay down. Mabel came back out with an empty tray tucked under her arm and a worn out look on her face. The end of the day had finally arrived. Mabel walked ahead of him, going to take the tray the kitchen, Dipper following close behind.

The sound of Pacifica's door opening stopped him in his tracks. He turned around to see the heiress stepping out into the hall. Dipper briefly made eye contact with her before averting his gaze to the floor. "Yes, Miss Northwest?"

She cleared her throat and spoke. "I am to inform you that we will be housing an important guest for several weeks and for the time being, you and the other one are to be servants to he and I." Dipper felt his ears burn when she referred to Mabel as 'the other one'.

"Of course," he said then went to turn around when Pacifica stopped him. She cleared her throat again. "Anything else, Miss Northwest?"

"N-no, You may go." She sounded like she wanted to say something else, but it wasn't his business to ask. He gave a short bow and carried on down the hall.

As he was walking away from Pacifica's double doors, he could've sworn that he heard someone say "I'm sorry."

 **So sorry about not updating Thursday, this chapter was kind of rough just because I'm trying to convey Dipper's dislike for the Northwest's. Also college is a pain. Thank you 9 for letting me know that it was a General Store. I feel kinda dumb now but this week has been exhausting.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	5. Chapter 5

The cool night breeze swept through Pacifica's open window. Pacifica wrapped herself in her blankets as the chilling Oregon air seeped into her room. She wanted to get up and close the window but she also wanted to go to sleep. So far drowsiness only clawed at her eyes, not enough to draw her into slumber. She was tossing and turning and didn't look at her clock for fear that half the night would be gone. She knew that the small action of getting out of bed, walking across the room, and closing the window would ruin her sleep for what remained of the night.

She recalled her father reminding her at dinner that tomorrow was a very important day and urged her to get a good night's sleep. Pacifica tensed up, hating the fact that she reminded herself of tomorrow's events. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the thought of meeting her fiancé for the first time. She had spent the whole day fretting about it. She was lost in thought all day, she barely maintained enough focus to remember to tell her servants that Gideon's room was to be cleaned.

The events of the other day suddenly flooded her mind. "I'm sorry," she had whispered just as her butler was walking away. _Northwest's don't apologize_. She gulped, regretting what she said. But he wasn't supposed to ask what was going on in her life. His job was to do what she told him. Yet even she could hear the tiniest bit of concern in his voice. She shook off the memory and turned to her other side. Another gust of wind whipped her curtains in the air.

Her thoughts returned to the subject of tomorrow. She wasn't sure if she was nervous or excited. Pacifica had never had any relations with boys. She mostly thought it was thanks to her father but when she really thought about it, she didn't have relations with anyone. Her only close acquaintance was Wendy, her piano teacher, but even then she only saw her once a week. Formally twice a week, her Friday piano lesson would've been tomorrow, but with Gideon arriving at the manor, she simply didn't have time for such leisure activity.

She was excited to meet someone that wasn't her family. Someone she could confide in or just simply talk to. But her anxiety was just as overwhelming. Gideon wasn't just someone she was going to get to know, he was someone whom she was spending the rest of her life with. Her father, or rather Bud, telling her about Gideon's stay was not implied as a suggestion for a suitor. No, Gideon's stay would be indefinite and the wedding would be at the end of November.

Another breeze ripped through the room and Pacifica shivered. She let out a breath, at this rate she wasn't going to get any sleep. She ripped off her comforter and marched across the room. Her cold dainty hands gripped the aging window and pulled. The ancient sheet of glass landed on the window pane with a thud. The bitter cold dissipated and Pacifica was suddenly warm. She walked back to her bed and curled up under her blankets. It didn't take long for sleep to take her.

Pacifica narrowed her eyes while examining her closet. The small room she called her closet was stuffed with dresses of every kind. The floor was littered with shoes and the shelves were lined with everything from jewelry to nightgowns to socks. She wanted to dress nice, but she considered everything in her wardrobe to be nice. She went through her massive collection of dresses. She stopped at a dark indigo dress that reached the floor, it was a tempting choice but she decided that it would've clashed with her eyes. She finally reached a light green dress that fell just past her knees. The weather outside was chilly, but even in November, the Northwest Manor managed to get stuffy.

She laid the dress and corset out on the bed and placed the black shoes on the floor. Pacifica abandoned her clothing and walked to her bathroom. Just as it was every morning, the claw foot tub was filled with steaming water. Rose petals floated on the surface and the room smelled of lavender.

An hour later, Pacifica's hands were gripping the frame of her bed, a pained look spread on her face. Her knuckles turned white as she could feel her maid continuing to tighten the lacing on her corset. She bit the inside of her cheek as the girl finally tied the silk ribbon into a tight bow. Pacifica pulled her green dress over her head, straightening the fabric once she got it on. The blonde turned to her maid.

"Will there be anything else, Miss Northwest?" The girl asked, her upper-body bent in a slight bow. The black ribbon that acted as a headband barely held back her waves of chestnut hair. The same color hair as her butler. The girl's eyes weren't quite closed and Pacifica could just barely see the deep brown pupils.

The question lingered on her lips, and left her mouth before she could help it. "Are you related?"

The girl must've known who she was talking about because she answered quickly. "Yes, ma'am."

"Are you cousins or siblings?"

"We're twins, ma'am." Her body was still in the low bow. Pacifica blinked. How could she have not noticed before? They looked alike in almost every way. She wanted to ask her all sorts of questions. _What was your childhood like? Have you been together forever?_ Her mind longed for the answers, but there were much more important things to tend to than petty questions. But some part of her wanted to know what it was like to have someone you could always rely on, someone that would always be there.

Pacifica cleared her throat and spoke. "There's nothing else for right now, you may go."

The girl straightened her posture and walked out of the room, shutting the large oak door quietly behind her. Pacifica sat on her bed to compose herself. Her dress wasn't too flashy or too bland, her blonde hair, though usually up in a bun, was instead down. She took a deep breath, stood up and walked out of her room.

The main hall of the Northwest Manor said everything there was to be said about the Northwest's. Preston's vast collection of swords, guns and stuffed animals decorated the walls. Not to mention the massive paintings of the family. There were also tapestries covering the beautiful wooden paneling. A grand fireplace was at the top of the grand staircase, a fire flickering in the hearth. The polished floor was covered in ornate wooden squares. Pacifica glanced around the room. The maids had done an impeccable job of polishing the floors and dusting the walls. Her father wanted to impress the Gleeful's above anything else. Her mother, Priscilla, stood beside her dressed in a simple floor length lavender gown. Her mother was always one to be simply elegant. Pacifica fidgeted while waiting for the Gleeful's to make their grand entrance to the main hall.

"Mother?" Pacifica whispered, gaining her mother's attention.

Priscilla raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

"Do you think I'll be happy?" Her voice sounded hopeful and candid. There was nothing more she wanted than to be with someone who made every day the best day of her life. Most of her father's life was business and he rarely had time for family, but she always recalled his genuine smile when around her mother.

Her mother let a sigh slip past her painted lips, "I don't know Pacifica, it's what your father wants." It was always about what her father wanted, and half the time she didn't even know what he wanted.

The main doors suddenly swung open. Her father was standing next to Bud and standing next to him was a stout young man. He was an inch or two shorter than Pacifica. He was clad in a blinding bright blue suit with a white button up shirt and a bolo tie. His pale blue eyes locked onto Pacifica. As he walked closer, she could see his features better. Freckles adorned his pale cheeks and a mound of white hair was atop his head. He was nothing like what she pictured.

He strode across the room with a gait that was a mixture of elegance and power. A wide smile was across his face and his eyes glittered with excitement. "Miss Pacifica Northwest!" he sang. "What a pleasure it is to finally meet you!" His voice had a strange drawl to it.

"And what a pleasure it is to meet you, Gideon." She returned the greeting. Anxiety bubbled in Pacifica's stomach. She didn't expect Gideon to be so flashy.

After introductions, her father insisted upon a tour of the Manor. The Gleeful's simply _couldn't_ turn down such a kind offer. Pacifica gulped as they set off up the grand staircase.

Throughout the tour, Pacifica learned more about her future husband and father-in-law. Bud Gleeful told his tale of woe and success. He started out as a simple salesman, trying to pawn off used merchandise to anyone willing to buy it. Once he got enough money, he bought his own plot of land and started the apple orchard that would soon grow to be the biggest apple orchard in the West. They had covered half of the manor by the time Bud was done speaking.

"And here is the music room," Preston gesture to the room that was decorated with instruments. Guitars and banjos lined the walls. There was a violin and a cello resting on their stands among a flute and a saxophone. And of course there was the grand piano that sat in the center of the room. The rose finish on the maple wood reflected the golden light of the room. The lid was closed and a stack of sheet music was sitting on the stand. "Pacifica enjoys playing the piano from time to time." Preston noted.

"I myself am a lover of music. I dabble in guitar and violin." Gideon said, earning a smile from Pacifica. Perhaps there was something they had in common.

"I like the cello, but there's something about the piano. I get lost in the music sometimes." She smiled, imagining herself lost in the rich sounds of the instrument.

"Well, maybe we could play together sometime, after all I will be here for a while." He said then added a light giggle to the end of his sentence.

They moved on from the music room. Preston showed them the game room, the library, the guest study, Pacifica's room and of course the guest suites.

"My, that tour has me simply parched." Gideon gasped as they reached his guest bedroom. Gideon glanced around the room, taking notice of the two servants standing by the door. "You," He addressed the boy. "Fetch me a glass of water." He ordered.

Pacifica watched as he gave a short nod of the head in understanding and walked down the hall. Gideon's words made her flinch. "It's been a lovely day, but I am awful tired." She said. "I had a wonderful time today." She added as she walked toward the door of the guest room.

Gideon flashed her a wide smile. "Until tomorrow, my dear." He bid her farewell as she walked out of the room.

Pacifica fiddled with a piece of her long blonde hair as she sauntered down the hall to her room. Her nervousness and anxiety that she'd had earlier had ebbed away but a whole new feeling washed over her. Gideon seemed nice enough, she shared several interests with him: reading and music. But there was something about the way she addressed her butler that made her skin crawl. An underlying streak of control? She was curious about the days to come. About what other things she would come to know about her fiancé.

 **Sorry about the long wait for an update. I've been sick for the last two weeks and drowning in papers due for classes. Also sorry for the lack of Dipifica fluff in this but I promise it will come. Now that I've got five chapters, I'm going to start making edits on previous chapters.**

 **Thank you for reading.**

 **Edit: I edited this like a month ago and I only now realized that I never updated that chapter. Apologies for that.**


	6. Chapter 6

A pitiful stream of water dribbled from the metal pipe into the metal pitcher. It was agonizing to wait for it to fill up. He learned very quickly that the water from the Northwest's well was something that tested his patience. Especially when it came to filling up Pacifica's bath. Dipper finally let out a sigh of relief just as the pitcher filled up. He shut the faucet off and placed the pitcher on the silver tray, next to an upside-down cup and a folded napkin. Gideon had only asked for water and the typical reaction for a butler would be to retrieve a glass of water. But Dipper saw right through his sugar-coated speech. He was vicious. He was the kind to throw fits when he didn't get what he wanted. As much as Dipper didn't want to bring him a pitcher of water he also didn't want to get fired. Pacifica may have been unable to fire him or his sister, but he suspected that Preston would let anything slide for Gideon's approval.

He walked through manor, careful not to spill any water, until he reached the guest wing. Mabel stood outside the door, her eyes low, as if she was lost in thought. She looked up when she spotted her brother walking down the hall. Dipper was shocked that she snatched the tray out of his hands and waltzed into Gideon's room.

The grand clock in the foyer chimed five times, signifying five o'clock. A breath of exhaustion escaped Dippers lips. The day was finally over. He turned away from the door to the guest suite and began heading to the servant's quarters. A flash of blonde caught Dipper's eye and he turned his head toward Pacifica's section of the Manor. She was standing in the center of the hall, right in front of her door. A strand of her blonde hair was wrapped around her finger.

Dipper held his breath, hoping that the heiress wouldn't hear him. He stood silent for a moment, waiting to see what she would do. Instead of whipping her head around, she remained motionless. Dipper took one step toward her. Then another. She was dangerously still.

"Miss. Northwest?" He spoke as he approached her, his voice snapping her out of whatever daze she was in. "Is there anything else you need today?" He yearned to ask her if anything was wrong, but he didn't want to face any repercussions that came with the question.

Her gaze drifted toward him, her blue eyes looked lost. Her lips were hung in a delicate pout. She said nothing, only stared at him with wide eyes.

"Miss Northwest, I know I shouldn't ask," he began, afraid to voice the question. "Is there something the matter?"

Something in her blue eyes flickered, changing her confused expression to one of sadness. "No," she said in a whisper, though Dipper knew she was lying. He could see it in her eyes. Gideon was not the knight in shining armor that she expected. Anything she'd heard about Gideon were nothing but fiction. Woven tales of wonder to lure in her heart.

"I'm sorry," A wave of pity washed over him. He still hated the Northwest's and their lifestyle, but no one deserved to be lied to. Especially about something that was going to affect the rest of their lives.

Her expression looked as though it was going to crack but then she straightened her posture and spoke. "There is nothing else I need this evening."

He nodded in understanding. "Good night, Miss Northwest." He gave a short bow then continued on down the hall.

* * *

The ceiling of the servant's room was just as boring as the rest of the room and the rest of the servant's quarters.

"What's the matter?" His sister's voice pulled him away from his trance. He looked over to see her scowling at him. She was wearing the simple white cotton jumpsuit that all the servants got for nightwear.

"Nothing," he went back to staring at the ceiling.

"You've been like that for three hours, you even missed dinner." She raised an eyebrow at him then let out a deep breath. "I thought we discussed this," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. The servants were not to speak at all about the Northwest family.

Dipper looked over at his twin, her eyebrows were drawn together and her lips in a frown. Concern flashed in her dark brown eyes. "We did." He said bluntly. "Sorry," he recanted quickly. "I just feel kind of sorry for her."

"I can't blame you, I wouldn't want to be marrying him either." She shuddered. "All that sweet talk is just a façade. He's rude and he's greedy. He yelled at me when I nearly spilled a drop of water. I can't imagine what he'll do to Pacifica if they're ever alone together."

"She just looked so disappointed." He let out a breath then returned his gaze to the ceiling.

"I hope you remember that we're just here to work and get money. Mom and Dad are counting on it. Goodnight, Dipper." She blew out the already dying candle.

His heart dropped. He didn't want to admit it to himself, it would just make the situation worse. They were here to work. _He_ was here to work. Dipper's sole purpose for taking the only job available in town was so they could get money for their parents. All the talk of gold made them move to California, but southern California was not rich in the substance. It was too much trouble to move so Dipper and Mabel went elsewhere for work.

Working for people like the Northwest's appalled him. He still hated Preston Northwest but he couldn't say the same for his daughter. He was sure Pacifica didn't even know his name yet he didn't care. There was something about the way her sapphire eyes sparkled all the time. And something about that afternoon made his heart ache. Gideon Gleeful was not deserving of Pacifica Northwest. And neither was he.

But nothing was going to change how he felt about her.

 **I don't really like this chapter. And I'm sorry for being gone so long and this short chapter is in no way going to make up for that, but the next one for Pacifica is going to be super long. Promise.**

 **Also, just as an edit: the time line has moved two decades so that instead of the 1830's its now the 1850's. It just makes it easier because of the gold rush.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

Pacifica's delicate fingers started playing with the hem of her dress. While she was sitting on the bathroom floor, the end of the fabric just reached her knees. It was a mindless action but it was something to do. Rubbing her fingers over the lace and stitching until her mind went numb and completely forgot why she was sitting on the tiled floor of her bathroom. She was convinced that this was the only place in the house where Gideon wouldn't dare enter.

She scolded herself for hiding, but so far this was the most privacy that she'd had in a week. Gideon was outside her door every morning and escorted her back to her room every evening. He was with her in the library, the music room, the gardens and the stables. It was bothersome. She told herself that he simply trying to get to know her, but it was overwhelming. Gideon was overwhelming.

She hugged her knees to her chest and let a tear slip down her cheek. She was acting childish, she knew that. Her father would've told her to stand tall and stop acting like this. Just thinking about that made her tears fall more.

A knock on the bathroom door startled her and she desperately wiped away her tears, taking deep breaths to rid of the redness in her cheeks. She stood up and straightened the fabric of her dress. "Come in," her voice came out shaky and echoed off the bathroom wall.

Her maid opened the door with a blank expression on her face. "Miss?"

"Yes?" Pacifica spat out, not wanting her maid to question her current state. She was lucky that the girl was less curious, her brother had no problem asking what was wrong. Even after he knew not to. Though there was something comforting about someone being concerned for her. Her father never took the time to ask about his daughter's emotional state. Her mother never had enough time and she was sure that Gideon wanted nothing to do with a crying girl, even if that girl was his fiancé.

"Gideon requests your presence, he's in the library." Her statement made Pacifica's lip quiver.

"Tell him I will be there soon." The girl nodded and shut the bathroom door.

Pacifica glanced at herself in the mirror before she left the room. Her cheeks were red from crying and her eyes were puffy. She took a deep breath, hoping to rid of the flushed look on her face then left the bathroom and headed down the hall. The trip to the library took far faster than she would've liked, she just wanted to have her mint tea and go to bed. She wanted everything to go back to the way it was before, when she didn't have a fiancé or obligations to see him on a daily basis.

"Good afternoon, Gideon. Was there something you needed?" Pacifica intoned politely as she walked into the library.

"Of course, my apple pie." A wide grin spread across his pale freckled face. "I was wondering what color dress you're going to wear for the engagement party tomorrow night."

She tried her best not to think about the engagement party unless someone brought it up. And when that happened she would her best to change the subject. Her dress had been sitting in her closet for nearly a week, the deep purple fabric constantly reminding her of her imminent and unescapable fate. "Plum."

"Perfect, I just wanted to make sure my suit matched. All eyes are going to be on us tomorrow night, my dear." He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him. "I'm just so excited, aren't you?" he asked, curiosity obvious in his blue eyes.

She flashed a practiced smile at him, gazing at him with a rehearsed loving look. "Of course," she said in a gentle whisper. "It's impossible to not think about it. But I do feel a bit feverish, I think I'm going to go lay down. I don't want to be sick for the party tomorrow."

"Heavens no, darling." Gideon said with concern though there was a something in his eyes that told Pacifica he knew she was lying. "Rest up," He kissed her hand before she left the room.

* * *

Much to Pacifica's discomfort, the next day arrived quickly. She had spent the first four hours of her morning in bed, doing nothing but stare at the ceiling and dread the rest of the day.

"Your bath is ready ma'am." Her maid spoke, snapping Pacifica out of her comatose-like state.

Pacifica acknowledged her statement with a nod and pulled herself up. She threw her covers aside and forced her limbs to get out of bed. She stumbled into the bathroom and was greeted with her usual bath that was filled with lavender oil and rose petals. She peeled off her nightgown and let the scalding water melt away her sleepiness.

A shiver went down Pacifica's spine as her maid finished another one of her braids, carefully pinning it into place. Her hair was in a bun with rows of delicate braids tied into it. There was only one more strand of hair hanging in front of her face. Another five minutes and she would be done. Another five minutes and she would be forced to waltz down to the main hall and greet her guests and stand by her fiancé for hours.

"All done, miss." Her maid said as she pinned the final braid into place.

She let out a shaky breath. This was it. There was no turning back after this. There was no turning back to begin with, she never had an opinion when it came to who she was going to marry. Their wedding would be in two weeks and Pacifica would forever have to wear a ball and chain in her own home. A knock at the door signaling that it was time to go stopped her imminent tears from falling. She turned to her maid and let out a small "Thank you," then prepared herself for the end of her life.

The main hall of the Northwest Manor was alive with people. People from the town and friends of the Gleeful's. Everyone who saw her congratulated her on her engagement then went back to join the party. She felt like she was forced to stay by Gideon the whole night. His arm was around her waist. It felt like his fingers were digging into her side, it made her more uncomfortable by the minute. Her practiced smile was cracking; Pacifica wasn't sure if she was going to make it another four hours.

Music from the string quartet sang out across the room, slightly distracting Pacifica. She smiled at the melody, she knew it by heart and began humming and swaying to the rhythm.

"Would you like to dance, my dear?" Gideon whispered in her ear.

She obediently nodded. Gideon took her hand and led her to the middle of the dancefloor. They waltzed to the sound of the music. One two three four. One step in from the left, another step back, another step sideways and an occasional twirl. Pacifica felt like she had been repeating the same foot movements for hours and the room started to spin. Left foot right foot, twirl, left foot right foot. It was nauseating.

"Are you okay?" Gideon asked, slowing their dance to a stop.

Pacifica put a hand to her head, "I think I just need some air." She said and headed toward the Manor's back door.

"Hurry back, dumplin'!" he called after her, his words laced with impatience.

Pacifica rubbed her pounding head as she pushed through people to get to the back door. The grand door that opened up to the gardens was already ajar, some people were mingling outside. She understood why, the candles and the fireplace were enough to make the main hall warm but hundreds of people made it sweltering. She released a relieved breath when the chilly November air kissed her skin, enveloping her in a comforting blanket of cold. Her dizziness faded and her nausea subsided. She walked farther into the garden, far enough so that she couldn't hear the music or people talking. It was just her and the occasionally autumn breeze.

The Northwest garden was an elaborate courtyard decorated with trimmed hedges and an abundance of flowers. She sat down on a stone bench, realizing that she was in the center of her family's courtyard. She was surrounded by neatly cut shrubs and thickets of rose plants. Surely no one would venture too far into the gardens to find her. She closed her eyes and released a long sigh.

"Miss Northwest?" A voice startled her and she nearly fell off the bench. She feared that Gideon had found her and her pulse quickened. She quickly stood up, an excuse on the tip of her tongue if it was her fiancé.

A figure rounded the corner and Pacifica released a breath, relieved to see it was only her butler. "What are you doing out here?" she demanded sternly.

He let out a chuckle. "With all due respect, Miss Northwest, I could ask you the same thing." Pacifica tensed up. Her body wanted to lash out and scold him for speaking so casually, but her mind was simply thankful that he wasn't Gideon.

"It was hot inside and I needed some air." She answered his question bluntly. "Now it's your turn: what are you doing outside?"

"I was hot, ma'am. I do apologize for following you," he started, his dark eyes had a sinister glint to them, like he was lying. No. He _was_ lying. "I thought you were supposed to be inside the whole night."

She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyebrows. Her butler had already captured her attention from the beginning with his strange behavior and the way he was acting now made her eager to understand the air of mystery that surrounded him. But the guilt of being gone from Gideon too long gnawed at her, she was sure he would round the corner any minute. Her heart told her to stay but her mind reminded her of her obligations. "I am, and I should be going back inside and you should too before someone realizes you're gone." She stood up and straightened the fabric of her dress. Her skin itched with anxiety as she began to walk away. She was sure she would be interrogated by Gideon for being gone so long and of course she would have to dance with him and stand by him for the remainder of the night. Just thinking about it made her nauseous

"Wait!" his sudden shout stopped her and he grabbed her hand. She could feel the tenderness in his touch through the velvet of her gloves. The tension built up between them making time stretch for eons and it felt like an eternity before he spoke again. "You don't love him, do you?"

The silence hung in the cold air between them, his dark brown eyes swam with certainty. Pacifica pressed her lips together, determined not to let him get to her. He was just a servant and had no business wanting to know how she felt. "No," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the occasional breeze.

This was wrong. It was wrong for him to look her in the eye, wrong for him to hold her hand and wrong for him to be speaking to her. But his brown eyes brimmed with understanding, his touch full of empathy, and his voice laced with concern. Everything that Gideon wasn't.

"I shouldn't be doing this," she choked out, her voice void of any authority.

In one swift move he laced his fingers between hers, pulled her into an embrace and placed his hand on her back. Pacifica felt uncomfortable around Gideon, but he was different. She leaned into his touch and squeezed his hand. His breath tickled her neck and heat rushed to her cheeks.

"Neither should I."

 **This is so long overdue. I've been busy with school and I just got another job so there's that. I hope you guys enjoy!**


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